Difficult
by KatiaSwift
Summary: A two-shot on Lupin and Tonks's relationship. Things aren't always easy, as they find out. Hope you like it, and thanks to my friends "Luna" and "Ginny"! Also thanks to my beautiful girlfriend for ideas!
1. Home Again

**A/N: Hi!**

**This is the first chapter of a sort of two-shot about Lupin and Tonks's relationship, called Difficult. I hope you like it!  
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**I want to thank all my readers, and my best friend, Cassi. Without Cassi, none of this could have been possible. She taught me the finer points of a good format. THANK YOU CASSI! YOU ARE THE BEST FRIEND EVER! I also want to thank "Luna" and "Ginny", of Dumbledore's Army VT. Thanks, guys!  
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**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. I wish I did. Sometimes. Actually, most of the time. Well, really, I just wish I owned a book autographed by JK Rowling. Now I'm rambling. But I don't own Harry Potter, that's the bottom line. ;-)**

**~KatiaSwift (Katia)~**

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><p>Difficult<p>

A Tonks and Lupin Love Story

Nymphadora Lupin was sitting in a chair inside the living room of the small house that she and her husband called home, tears running down her face. She didn't know why she was surprised; after all, this had become a normal activity for her. Tonks (for that's what she was called), didn't know if he'd ever come back, either. Remus Lupin had sat down (a month ago? two? she didn't know how long), and calmly explained to her why he had to leave.

As she had watched her husband walk down the drive in the pouring rain, she had felt like calling, "Remus, if you're so afraid about the baby being like you, then why are you leaving me here alone, to raise him when he comes?" She hadn't, and was now wishing that she had. Maybe he would have stayed. Instead, she had fought the urge to snap her wand in half, and yelled, "I hope you never come back here, you ungrateful little rat!" Tonks had slammed the door hard behind him, sealing it with a yell of "Colloportus!" She had then collapsed into a chair, crying like she never had before. She had not done anything too rash, though the wall was still pockmarked from her mindless spell-casting. She missed him.

Remus Lupin, bedraggled and wet, like on the night he had left, walked quietly up the drive towards his house. He wondered if she'd have him back, after his leaving her behind. If there was one thing he knew, it was that Tonks despised being treated like she was weak, and this probably counted. He got out his wand to open the lock as he reached the front door, but it was unnecessary, as the door creaked open on its hinges. Tonks shot several Stunning Spells and an Impediment Jinx out the door, making Lupin duck.

"Dora, it's me!" He yelled. She stopped shooting jinxes and peered out the door, the picture of caution.

"Remus?" She asked.

He sighed in relief. "Yes, Dora, it's me."

She flung herself into his arms. He expected that, and made to put his arms around her when she began hitting him repeatedly with one ballet flat. He didn't understand what had gone wrong, why was she hitting him?

"OW! Dora, what the- OW!" He yelled, trying to wriggle away from her grasp.

Tonks was beside herself with fury. "YOU ARE SUCH AN ARSE, REMUS LUPIN!" She howled, beating him with her shoe.

He was mildly impressed, despite the circumstances, as she wasn't even using her wand. He had missed a lot in the two months he had been gone. Lupin focused on getting her off him, and when he finally managed to do so, she dropped into his arms and began to cry. He held her, feeling incredibly lucky that she had finally stopped beating him, and just let her cry. He could bet she needed it, after two months of no contact whatsoever between them. He guided her to the couch, and she curled up with her head in his lap, eventually falling asleep as the night rain pounded on the roof. He eventually stopped fighting and succumbed to sleep as well. For the first time in two months, Nymphadora and Remus Lupin were back together, sleeping as the rain fell.

The next morning, Lupin woke on the couch, alone, to the smell of breakfast. He got up slowly and went to find his wife. She was wearing her 'Weird Sisters' t-shirt, and was cooking pancakes on the stove with her back to him. "You know I'm mad at you, don't you, Remus?" She asked him.

He nodded. "Listen, Dora, I am REALLY sorry about this. I thought that I was doing the right thing, and I really wasn't."

"What made you come back?" Tonks asked.

Lupin smiled, despite the situation. "Harry. He told me that I was a coward for leaving you, and I realized that he was right."

Tonks turned away from the stove, and Lupin realized with a start that she was quite a bit rounder since the last time he had seen her in the light. She was smiling.

"Dora?" He asked cautiously, half expecting another beating from her shoe. She hugged him.

"I'm not saying that what you did was right, but I forgive you," She whispered in his ear.

He held his wife at arm's length. "My god, Dora! How long was I away?"

She laughed. "Well, go look at the two months worth of calendar that I marked off, and you'll see!" He looked at the two pages. All of them had wand-shaped burn marks on the days.

Lupin kissed her. "Dora, I missed you."

Tonks smiled. "Me too. Mind you, I still think you're an ugly, slimy git, after all. You left your pregnant wife for no good reason at all, and came back after two entire months of hiding."

Lupin winced. "I said I was sorry!"

Tonks laughed. "Yeah, I know. I'm not mad anymore, though. Remus, I love you too much for that!"

He smiled. "Oh, Dora."

Tonks put her arm around him. "You know, you'd better go find your stuff, if you're going to move back in."

Lupin looked at her. "But... what happened to it?" He wasn't sure he wanted to find out.

Tonks looked sheepish. "Well, some of it fell victim to the Reductor Curse, some of it I shoved down the basement stairs, and some of it is sitting out in the back field, growing mold."

Lupin looked at her incredulously, and began to laugh. "You did all of that with my stuff?" He asked.

She nodded, somewhat proudly. "Your favorite chair is downstairs, but I don't know if it's still in one piece. I kind of... kicked it down. As hard as I could."

Lupin kissed her. "Well, now we're even!" He said brightly. "I'm mad at at you for beating up my stuff, and you're mad at me for leaving you. That's even, as far as I'm concerned."

Tonks looked at him, a certain light in her eye. "Well, I think that your offense is quite a lot worse than mine, thank you very much! Perhaps you could try and bribe me..."

Lupin shook his head. "Oh, no! I am not falling for that!"

She begged, giving him puppy-dog eyes.

"No." He said firmly. "For one, remember last time?"

Tonks winced. "Oh. Yeah."

Remus elaborated. "That's how we came up with Rule #5-"

Tonks cut him off. "Rule #5," She recited in a monotone. "We are not allowed to be reckless. No doing it on the couch in the Burrow."

He nodded approvingly. "Yes, which also means that if the nosy neighbors are watching, we musn't do it on our couch, either."

She sighed. "Well, I do have to admit you're right, Remus."

He snickered. "I'm always right, Dora."

Tonks glared. "Well, what if I were to bring up the O.W.L. Practical Potions exam?"

Lupin sighed. "All right, so I wasn't at my best-"

Tonks cut him off with a snicker. "Your best my foot! I don't think that blowing up the examiner gave you any extra points."

Lupin blushed. "What about the Charms accident of Seventh Year?" He shot back at her.

She looked at him. "Professor Flitwick didn't sustain any lasting injuries!"

Lupin sighed. "Yes, you're right. However, what about the time you used a Cheering Charm on Charlie Weasley that made him not able to go to classes for an entire week because he was laughing so hard!"

Tonks turned red. "What about the time in Third Year when you offered 'Giant Squid Rides' for ten Galleons apiece?" She asked.

They looked at each other and began to laugh. "Ah, yes, Hogwarts incidents of the past. What a memory!" Lupin said.

Tonks smiled. "What about the origins of Rule #5? Like when Molly Weasley found your shirt under the couch in the Burrow?"

"She found your pants!" He said.

Tonks laughed. "All right, we're even. Happy?"

Remus nodded. He picked up a plate of the pancakes Tonks had been making and sat down at the table. Tonks did the same. Lupin wasn't really eating, he just sat in his chair, thinking. "Wait, Dora, why am I eating your pancakes if you can't cook to save your life?"

She laughed softly. "Mom tried to teach me to cook while I was living here."

He tasted them. "Pretty good, Dora! Did you add blueberries?"

Tonks shook her head. "No. Why?"

He looked up. "Well, there are a few lumps-"

"Oh, that!" She said cheerily. "Well, they were in the back of our refrigerator. I'm not really sure what they are, but I don't think that the white stuff was mold..." She trailed off doubtfully. Remus choked. "I said she tried! I forgot to tell you that she failed. Miserably." He glared at her, and she stopped talking abruptly.

After a minute, Tonks asked, "Remus?"

"Yes, Dora?"

"May I have your pancakes?"

"Sure, Dora."

...

Molly Weasley walked up the long drive towards the Lupin residence, floating a platter of food ahead of her. When she had gone to Andromeda's, she had said that her daughter had gone back home a week ago, and so Mrs. Weasley was taking dinner to the unfortunate witch.

She climbed the porch stairs, knocking on the door. "Tonks, dear, it's me!" She called.

There was a muffled shriek from inside the house, a loud thud, and swearing, "Bloody hell!" Mrs. Weasley waited a minute, and Tonks came to the door. She was wearing her 'Weird Sisters' t-shirt backwards, and she was blocking Mrs. Weasley's view of the inside.

"Oh, hello, Molly!" She said cheerfully, blocking the door still more with her body.

"Tonks, dear, I brought dinner, if you want it," Mrs. Weasley said cautiously, trying to peer around the pregnant witch, who practically threw herself in Mrs. Weasley's way.

"Um, Molly, I don't think you should do that!" Tonks cried.

"Why?"

Tonks blushed red, her pink hair deepening in color. "Um, well, Remus came home, and he's trying to find his robes right now. Apparently we kind of... lost them."

Mrs. Weasley hugged Tonks. "Thank goodness he came home!"

Tonks laughed. "Yeah. I told him he was a bloody git-"

Remus's voice echoed from inside, "No, you called me an arse, Dora!"

She sighed. "Oh, sorry, then. BLOODY GIT!"

Mrs Weasley laughed.

Tonks turned around, looking into the house. "Remus, get those robes on and help me over here!"

Her husband came to the door a minute later, wearing a blanket. "I'm sorry, Dora, but I just couldn't find them."

"Well, what about your bloody other ones?" She shouted.

Remus winced. "Dora, my other robes were in the suitcase you hit with the Reductor Curse!"

She blushed. "Well, sorry..."

He turned to Mrs. Weasley. "Dora also put moldy caterpillars in my pancakes!"

Tonks turned red. "I didn't mean to! They were left over from a potion I once made, and I didn't realize that they were caterpillars!"

Remus gagged.

Mrs. Weasley chuckled softly at the playful banter between the two. "Tonks, dear, I still have that food, if you want it."

Remus lunged for the platter. "Thank you, Molly! You're saving my life!"

Tonks looked mischievous. "From what?" She asked, daring her husband to mention her pancake fail.

He looked over. "Molly is saving me from your AWFUL cooking!" He howled. Tonks pursued him back inside.

Mrs. Weasley laughed softly. She set the platter on the front step and called into the house, "Remus, Tonks, dear, I've just set the food on the top step for you!"

Tonks cam to the door a minute later. "Thank you so much, Molly. I don't know if I can even trust my own cooking, so this is a big help."

Mrs. Weasley smiled. "My pleasure, dear." She hugged the young witch and smiled. "Take care, dear." With a 'crack', Mrs. Weasley Disapparated, leaving Tonks and Remus with the platter of food, which Tonks brought inside.

Later that evening, Remus and Nymphadora Lupin were sitting on the couch in their small cottage, finishing off dinner.

Tonks sighed happily, pulling a blanket tighter around herself in the cold October evening.

Remus was thinking, instinctively stroking a finger across his chin in deep thought. "Dora?" He said after a moment.

"Hmm?"

"Dora, you know this will be difficult, right?"

She nodded, looking up. "Remus, I was scared. Scared that you wouldn't come back." She hung her head.

Remus looked at his wife. "Dora, being afraid is nothing to be ashamed of!"

Tonks sighed. "I know, but, Remus, I'm a member of the Order of the Phoenix! We aren't scared to face Voldemort, so-"

He cut her off. "Dora, being scared is fine! It's how you deal with your fear that counts! Being brave is the best way to deal with fear! What if Bellatrix Lestrange walked in here right now?"

Tonks looked thoughtful. "Well, I would probably hit her with a few Stunners and an Impediment Jinx, then-"

"No, not that! I mean how would you feel?" He interrupted.

She pondered this. "Well, I would be afraid."

Remus nodded. "Exactly my point. You would be afraid, but you would fight her, right?"

Tonks nodded.

"Even on fear (and a well-reasoned one, too,) of your life?" He pressed.

She looked surprised. "I wouldn't be scared for my life, Remus! I would be afraid what she'd do to you! And the baby!" She patted her stomach protectively.

Remus Lupin looked at his wife for a moment, stunned at her selflessness. Then he grasped her hand and whispered, "You are the bravest person I've ever met, Nymphadora Lupin. No one else I know could get even close."

She giggled softly. "What about Harry, and the rest of the Order?"

He pondered this. "Well, all right, maybe Harry, and perhaps most of the Order members..."

"Not including Mundungus?" Tonks asked.

Remus laughed, shaking his head. "No, not including Mundungus."

Tonks laughed quietly. "Good." She set the empty dinner platter on a chair and lay her head on his shoulder, initiating a common ritual between them. The two fell asleep to the sound of the cold October rain outside, together again at last.


	2. New Beginnings

**A/N: Hi!**

**This is the second chapter of a sort of two-shot about Lupin and Tonks's relationship, called Difficult. I hope you like it!  
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**I want to thank all my readers, and my best friend, Cassi. Without Cassi, none of this could have been possible. She taught me the finer points of a good format. THANK YOU CASSI! YOU ARE THE BEST FRIEND EVER! I also want to thank "Luna" and "Ginny", of Dumbledore's Army VT. Thanks, guys!  
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**May the Force be with you!**

**~KatiaSwift (Katia)**

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><p>Four and a Half Months Later, the Lupin Residence<p>

Nymphadora Lupin was lying on her back, unable to sleep. Molly Weasley had assured her that sleeplessness was a common symptom of a Wizarding pregnancy; at least at the end, so Tonks wasn't exactly surprised. It had been like this for a few nights, and she didn't really mind, so long as there was a boring book or something else to do at hand. She had read 'Defensive Magical Theory' the other night, and 'History of Magic' the night before that. Tonks had managed to get to sleep each time, but now the Lupins' bookshelf had run out of boring books. There were only interesting ones, like 'Werewolves: Shunned By Society', 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard', and 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'. Tonks eventually bored herself to sleep by thinking of what Mad-Eye Moody would do when confronted by a Muggle Mathematics Professor giving him a lecture. It was enough to put anyone to sleep!

Tonks realized that she had been asleep when her eyes opened. Cursing softly, she reached over to the clock when she felt a horrible pain in her side. The young Auror only managed not to cry out, due to her training (and her pride). It subsided, and Tonks sat there for another minute, completely silent, before reaching over to the bedside table and feeling around for her wand.

"Lumos." She murmured, and the tip of her wand ignited. She shone the gentle, bluish light over to the other side of the bed, where her husband slept soundly.

Remus Lupin had a peaceful smile on his face, blissfully unaware that he was about to become a father. Tonks leaned over and gently kissed him on the cheek.

"I love you, Remus Lupin," She whispered. He let out a great big sigh in his sleep, and the handsome smile that she so adored graced his features once more. Tonks smiled. That had sealed it. She gently slid out of bed and into her fuzzy rabbit slippers, careful not to wake her husband.

Tonks cursed the day she forgot to pack her suitcase as she pulled random clothes out of her closet. Hopefully she hadn't taken the dress her mother had gotten for her, the one she despised. The young Auror managed to close her suitcase only by sitting on it, and she crept downstairs, hoping beyond hope that she wouldn't trip over everything in her path.

Tonks suddenly felt a warm, fuzzy body right by her feet on the stairs, and she stopped short, just managing not to fall down the stairs.

"Bloody hell, Maxine! You little hairball!" She whispered, picking up the little brown tabby cat that had been her friend Amelia's familiar during her Hogwarts days. When Amelia had been killed by Death Eaters the year before, for being a member of the Order of the Phoenix, Tonks had taken in Maxine, a clever little pussycat who had been cause for many of the young Auror's accidents during the past year. She remembered a particularly nasty incident three months earlier when she had fallen down three flights of stairs. When she had woken up, the entire Order was gathered around her bed. She had looked up and made a feeble attempt at a joke. "Am I really that popular?" She had asked. Ginny Weasley had done a beautiful imitation of her old mentor, Mad-Eye Moody.

"Constant vigilance, Nymphadora!" She had said, using her famous Mad-Eye voice. Tonks remembered that moment to the day, and she was jarred back to the present by another contraction and Maxine's soft purring.

"All right, Maxie! I'm going!" Tonks grumbled, stumbling down the stairs just to trip over her own feet. She landed with a loud thud, cursing noisily. As Tonks hauled herself to her feet, there came the sound of footsteps on the landing above.

Remus Lupin was standing there, his mustache slightly off-kilter and his hair a bit disheveled. He had an amused smile on his face. "Nymphadora, dear," He began, "At exactly what point during your leaving were you going to wake me?"

Tonks' hair turned bright red. "Don't call me Nymphadora!" She hissed. Remus laughed softly and made his way down the stairs to help his wife.

On the way, Maxine curled her tail around his leg. Remus glared. "Bug off, cat," He hissed.

Tonks laughed softly. "Remus, come on!" She grabbed his hand, but he stood firm.

"Wand?"

Tonks sighed. "Check."

"Luggage?"

"Check."

"Shoes?"

Tonks blushed, realizing she still had her slippers on. "Um..."

Remus took care of the problem by handing her the pair of worn sneakers that were her favorites. She kissed him. "That's why I married you, Remus Lupin!"

He had a slightly amused smile on his face. "So I could put your shoes on for you?"

She sighed. "Let's just get going, alright?"

He nodded. She began to pull her husband towards the door, but suddenly stopped. "Bloody hell!" Tonks swore.

Remus looked concerned. Tonks turned to him. "Where, exactly, are we going?" She asked.

He smiled reassuringly. "Dora, I took care of all that. We're going to your mother's, remember? St. Mungo's is out of the question, what with all the Death Eaters swarming around."

Tonks looked relieved. "All right, Remus. Now we can go."

She grabbed his hand and dragged her husband towards the door.


End file.
